Be my strength, Be my Weakness, Be my Love
by inuyashagirl22
Summary: Misao has been on the run from Aoshi for an entire year now. Eventually, she unwillingly goes back to the Aoiya and Aoshi learns just how important Misao is to him... AxM
1. Chapter 1

A/N: …not much to say so I'll just get on with it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Avril Lavigne's song: "Forgotten"

_Ah ah ah ah…_

_Ah ah ah ah…_

_Ah ah ah ah…_

_Ah ah ah ah…_

A year, one entire year. That was how long it was since she had last seen everyone, and it was 1 year and 2 days since she had last smiled or laughed for real.

_I'm givin' up,_

_On everything because you messed me up_

_Don't know how much you screwed it up_

_You never listened_

_That's just too bad_

She smiled bitterly as she remembered a certain person who had driven her to this state. Oh how she wished she could slit his throat right there… or maybe she could just torture him to death… he deserved it either way.

_Because I'm moving on_

_I won't forget you were the one that was wrong_

_Don't patronize me_

_Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah_

Misao lowered her head even more so that her entire face was concealed by the shadow of her cloak. She had long ago lost the strength and emotion to cry or even feel angry. The only thing that she knew was resentment and the desire to be stronger although she couldn't really get much stronger… she knew that she would reach her limit soon.

_Have you forgotten_

_Everything that I wanted?_

_Do you forget it now_

_You never got it_

_Do you get it now_

_Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah_

"Misao-chan? Misao?" the girl looked towards her companion.

"What is it Sou-kun?" she replied in a hushed voice.

"I think we're being watched"

"I know" she had sensed the presence long ago, but didn't do anything about it because she knew that she could escape in an instant anyways, she was, as most people said, supposedly faster than Seta Soujirou, her own mentor and companion.

"Do you think we should let him follow us? I know that you already know who he is"

"Yes… I know who he is…" she hissed. How could she not know? He had raised her, she knew his presence like a mother would know their child.

"Then should we run?"

"…yes" she dashed away, only using the speed that she originally had before she learned the super god-like speed that she was also known for.

_Ah ah ah ah…_

_Ah ah ah ah…_

_Gotta get away_

_There's no point in thinking about yesterday_

_It's too late now it will never be the same_

_We're so different now_

_Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah…_

A shadow in the tree moved and started to dash after her.

"Misao! Matte!" Soujirou ran after her, not bothering to use his energy to run any faster than a normal human could.

"Misao! Stop! Onegai!" a deep voice resonated from the shadow, the voice was like ice but had a desperate tone to it.

"Ie! Just give up and stop trying to find me!" Misao ran faster.

"Please! Misao!" the shadow pleaded once more the ice breaking around his voice, he was beginning to sound more and more like a hurt and lost puppy.

"IE!"

_have you forgotten_

_everything that I wanted?_

_Do you forget it now you never got it_

_Do you get it now_

_Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah_

_Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah_

_I know I wanna run away_

_I know I wanna run away_

_Run away_

"Misao! ONEGAI!" the shadow leaped out of the trees and started to run maximum speed towards her.

"Why! Why do you want me to come back when YOU were the one who drove me away! Why Aoshi! DOUSHTE!" Misao just kept on running, increasing her speed every now and then whenever she would think he as getting too close for her liking.

_If only I could run away_

_If only I could run away_

_Run away_

He didn't reply because he was panting too hard and was trying his best keep up and not lose sight of her. Once he lost sight of her, he knew that it was over and he would not be able to find or see her for at least another 2-3 months. It was too long to Aoshi and he was going to catch her this time, he wouldn't give up, no matter what she said, no matter how much it hurt him, no matter how much more he cried or begged. Nothing mattered to him, just so as long as he somehow managed to catch, see or hear his Misao.

_I told you what I wanted_

_I told you what I wanted_

_What I wanted_

Soujirou sped right past Aoshi to run next to Misao.

"Misao-chan, don't you think you should slow down the pace? It can get very tiring after a while and it looks like Shinomori-san doesn't have the slightest intention of letting up anytime soon" he smiled at her. Sometimes that smile could really stir at her emotions and bring back the so called one 'anger' and 'annoyance'

"Shut up Soujirou, I have no intention of returning with him so you don't have to worry about my stamina" she glared at him.

"hai hai… I was just worried is all" he raised his hands defensively and continued running.

"Misao!" Aoshi pleaded once more.

For some reason, this tore at Misao's heartstrings. She was supposed to have forgotten every emotion, this shouldn't be an exception. She shook her head and kept running. He had took her for granted before, that wouldn't happen ever again. And then he would throw her away as if a piece of trash just like when he met his bitch. She was forgotten. All forgotten, she wasn't even a part of the shadows, she was nothing.

_But I was forgotten_

_I won't be forgotten_

_Never again_

Aoshi ran, he ran as fast as he could. He tried to run faster but his lungs had protested since they were already being worked beyond their limit but he pushed on anyways. He didn't give a shit if he died right after holding Misao once more, he didn't give a shit if she still hated him, all he wanted was to tell her that he loved her even though he was already engaged. Aoshi winced as he remembered about his engagement and wife-to-be back at the Aoiya, that was the entire reason that Misao had run away after all, and it was all his fault, all his fucken fault.

_Have you forgotten_

_Everything that I wanted_

_Do you forget it now_

_You never got it_

_Do you get it now_

_Have you forgotten_

_Everything that I wanted_

_Do you forget it now you never got it_

_Do you get it now_

Misao narrowed her eyes, it was time to lose him.

"Soujirou."

Her partner looked at her and smiled, he recognized that tone very well. He nodded and ran full speed ahead. Misao not far behind and catching up. Soon, Aoshi had stopped. He punched a nearby tree and screamed in frustration. He had lost her again. Just like the last time, and the time before that. He kept punching the tree until his knuckles became bloody. Then he started to trudge his way back to the Aoiya to start gathering information on where Misao could've run off to this time.

_Forgotten  
Do you get it now  
Forgotten  
Yeah yeah yeah  
Forgotten  
Yeah yeah yeah  
Forgotten  
Yeah yeah yeah  
Forgotten  
Yeah yeah yeah_

When he made it back to the Aoiya, the entire Oniwaban were about to greet him but after having one look at his frustrated and guilty state, they reconsidered and quickly mumbled that they had prepared his bath and dinner.

Aoshi stomped through the hallways of the Aoiya and stopped a few room short of his. He slid open the door and was greeted by the most familiar and favorite smell that he recognized. He walked into the room and decided to stay there for a while before he headed for his bath. He reached and grabbed a picture frame that was lying on the floor, apparently knocked down. It was a picture of him, Misao and the other Oniwaban before they had died. They all looked so happy, but he. He was so cold, his eyes held no emotion whatsoever while Misao looked the happiest he's ever seen her in his entire life. Aoshi took a deep breath and sighed as he looked around the room. They had not touched Misao's room ever since she left them, no one had the heart to. They all felt guilty. For each one of them had played a part in driving her out of their lives. There was still her futon laying on the floor, unrolled. Lying there just like the day that she had got out of bed and left. Just like the day that he had announced that he was engaged. Just like the day that he had shredded he heart to pieces and walked all over it.

He took one more look at the room and saw that most of the pictures frames that held a picture with him in it were either cracked or totally demolished. He winced. He just hopped that she wouldn't do that to him if he someday caught her.

He sighed and got up, it was time for his bath, he would have to wake early the next morning to start gathering information again. As he stepped out the door he whispered one thing "Misao…" and he closed the shouji (I think that's what it's called) behind him.

"Misao-chan! We lost him already, so you can stop running so fast now!" Soujirou yelled at the girl running quite a ways in front of him.

Misao couldn't care less, she needed to run. Run away from reality, run away from her past. But after a while, she stopped and slumped down by a tree beside a river.

"Thank Kami you stopped" Soujirou smiled as he wiped some invisible sweat from his forehead.

"…" she didn't reply.

Soujirou sighed. She was in her 'I-don't-want-to-talk-to-anyone-so-talking-to-me-is-pointless' mood, he didn't care, he just kept talking anyways, just to relieve the tension in the air that was killing him every second.

"You know you're going to have to return some day right?"

_yes..._ she thought irritably, _and taht day might come sooner than you think..._

A/N: soooooo... how is it? tell me in a review, and could someone please tell me some information about 'Kenshin Kaden'? I heard it's a continuing series of Rurouni Kenshin


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: my god, two freaking years… its funny how I suddenly decided to update this story right now considering I'm really depressed and angsty after having an argument with my boyfriend… bah… w/e… I need to get rid of some emotion, might as well put it into a story I haven't updated in forever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin…so get off my fucking ass…

--XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX--

"Kyoto?" Soujirou repeated incredulously.

"Hai," Misao replied wearily.

"Buy why Kyoto? Why not Tokyo?"

Misao sighed and rubber her temples before replying, "first of all, I have a friend in Kyoto that can fix my spear no charge and second of all, why the hell would I want to travel all the way to Tokyo when we're already on the outskirts of Kyoto? Let me remind you we don't even have any money."

Soujirou blinked once before smiling thoughtfully, "oh yes, I remember now…"

"Besides…" she said reluctantly, "we need a place to stay for a few days…"

Silence descended upon them before the usually smiling boy broke it by muttering quietly, "so you've finally decided to go back…?"

"I'm not going back," Misao declared defiantly, "I'm just visiting as a normal customer."

Soujirou just smiled knowingly, this earned him a bone chilling glare from his female companion.

"Let's get going," the younger ninja girl picked up her traveling bag and slung it over her shoulders with one blurred movement of her hands.

Soujirou didn't reply but merely smiled and did the same with his bag.

The two started to walk towards their destination, both of them silently praying that there wouldn't be that much of a commotion at her so called 'home-coming'.

XxX

Three days had passed and not a single word of slip of information had been gathered about Misao's whereabouts. This was definitely not one of Aoshi's better days. He rubbed his temples and drank some of his caffeinated tea. Usually he wouldn't drink this kind but he knew he was going to need it so he had asked Okon to bring him an entire kettle full of it. Aoshi had been awake since the day before yesterday; he was so sure that after he had taken his bath, he would be able to go to sleep, but he was entirely wrong. He didn't sleep a wink that night. He was too busy berating himself because he had let her escape him yet again. Ever since Misao had left the Aoiya, Aoshi blamed himself for everything. Okina had gotten so frustrated at him and had once left the room screaming annoyance. All of this had started just because of a god forsaken arranged marriage. Aoshi swore to whoever was up there listening that if he ever found out who made the engagement, he would personally tear them limb from limb… that is, if they were still alive.

Aoshi sighed and took another sip of his tea but spat it out as soon as he heard Okon and Omasu scream. _What the hell?_ He though and got up to investigate.

Okon and Omasu were now crying themselves a river. Misao sighed and Soujirou just smiled, trying his best to calm the two sobbing ladies down.

"What on earth is going on?" a deep, icy voice came from the stairs.

Misao felt her heart immediately freeze over and replied coldly, "nothing. I simply asked for 2 rooms for the next week or two and these two went hysterical."

Aoshi emerged from the bottom of the stairs and froze when he saw Misao.

Misao sighed and forced her voice to be calm, "I don't mean to be rude, but could I _please _get a room? Me and my companion are very tired from our journey."

Aoshi felt like his heart had stopped all activity, and it was gradually getting harder to breathe…well, it was either that or he was having a heart attack. He stared at the woman in front of him that he had only saw three days ago.

"Misao…" he breathed, clearly in shock.

Misao steeled herself before turning to the elder man, "yes Shinomori-san?" she asked politely.

An all too familiar pain shot through his heart and Aoshi mentally flinched.. He took a deep breath before whispering, "I shall take you to your rooms."

The tall man turned on his heel and began walking further into the inn. Misao calmly followed him while Soujirou smiled apologetically to the two sniffling women before grabbing his bag and trotting to catch up.

Misao sighed and closed her eyes. The all too familiar floor seemed to flow beneath her feet. Inhaling deeply, she took in the scent that she had grown up with her entire life. Misao's eyes glazed over and when she looked at the garden, her childhood seemed to play out before her. She could almost see her younger self jumping around happily while chasing a butterfly. She could almost _feel_ Aoshi's arms as he lifted up a three year old Misao. The female ninja was too engrossed in her memories to notice that she had stopped walking completely and was staring at the garden with pained and sorrowful expression.

Aoshi stopped and glanced behind him. The expression that was on her face nearly tore his heart in half. She looked so sad and Aoshi wanted nothing better than to gather her in his arms and whisper comforting words in her ears.

"Misao…?" he asked questioningly.

She didn't seem to hear him. The same glazed look stayed on her face and her eyes looked even more pained. Taking a risk, he softly placed a hand on her arm and whispered gently, "Misao-chan…?"

Misao-chan? Who called her Misao-chan? She hadn't heard that name for the longest time… not since she left... not since she abandoned her past and ran away… she had left her loved ones… just as they had left her when she was just a little girl… she just couldn't forget those people…

"_Misao-chan!" Shikijou laughed as he through her in the air._

"_Don't cry Misao-chan! Beshimi would never leave you!" the short man hugged her._

"_Does Misao-chan want to see more?" Hyottoko blew flames out in an impressive show._

"_Misao-chan! don't play with that!" Jiya cried out, taking the matches from her hands._

"_Misao-chan loves Aoshi-sama!"_

_Misao-chan…_

_Misao-chan…_

_Misao-chan…_

The young woman clutched her head with her hands and shook it furiously.

"No… leave me alone!! Go away!!" the blue eyed woman screamed at the illusions and sunk to her knees.

"Misao? Misao? What's wrong Misao?!" Aoshi yelled and shook her shoulders, turning her so she could face him.

She looked up at him with fearful blue eyes. Aoshi was almost taken back when he saw the vulnerability in her large orbs. His being nearly broke in half when he heard the next two words escape her lips.

"…Aoshi-sama…?"

--XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX--

A/N: sorry… really not in the mood to write… I'll update soon… I hope…


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